Top Recommendation: REIZE Energy!
Whether you’re running them regularly for the fun and thrill, or just as a one-time thing, it’s important to prepare well to keep up for 13.1 miles (21.1km).
Endurance sports are gaining in popularity and with that come evolving diets and supplements to help you through your endurance sports.
From sports drinks to energy drinks, which is most suitable for you for your half marathon?
There’s a vast difference between full and half marathons. 13.1 miles to be precise. With that comes different requirements.
For that, energy drinks play a role, especially in endurance sports like half marathons. Find out more as we tackle the best energy drink for a half-marathon!
Effective Ingredients in Energy Drinks for a Half Marathon
Caffeine
Caffeine content varies from drink to drink and it is the main energy-boosting ingredient in energy drinks.
Caffeine can help you as a runner because it has performance-boosting properties. It can boost your alertness, your mood, and most importantly your desire to want to run and complete the half marathon.
Caffeine also helps to induce, what some call a “runner’s high”. It works by increasing the levels of endorphins in your brain.
Caffeine also increases your power and running speed over long distances by enhancing reaction time and improving neuromuscular coordination. This means you can run faster with less effort.
If you’re worried about the diuretic properties that caffeine causes, don’t worry because a study found that you can safely have up to 550mg of caffeine without affecting your hydration levels.
However, the recommended daily maximum caffeine intake is 400mg, so be wary of consuming more caffeine than you should or can tolerate.
For running a half marathon, you probably just want a gentle boost rather than something that will blow your head off. Something in the range of 50-100mg is ideal for long-distance running in my opinion.
For the record, here’s what the FDA recommends you consume your daily amount of caffeine.
| Age | Recommended Daily Amount |
| Kids | 60-80 mg |
| Teenagers | 100 mg |
| 18 and above | 400 mg |
Sugar
Sugar is found in many energy drinks, although nowadays there are many energy drinks that are sugar-free, so check the label of your energy drink of choice.
If you’re running a half marathon it’s probably OK to consume more sugar than usual because you’ll be burning it off so quickly. However, sugar is still unhealthy and should be taken in moderation at all times.
Also, you’ll want to avoid an infamous “sugar crash” late in your run. So, even if you’re running a half marathon, a sugar crash may still occur after you’ve consumed too much sugar.
Funnily enough, runners need sugar (carbohydrates) to maintain their energy on a run but don’t take that as a green light to consume as much sugar as you like. You should remind yourself that consuming a lot of sugar can be the downfall of your health.
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid included in many energy drinks. It works by fighting muscle fatigue and also helps you calm your mind.
Fighting muscle fatigue and keeping a calm mind are very important during a half marathon, so taurine is probably an ingredient that you should be on the lookout to include in your energy drink.
What should I drink before a half marathon?
You should drink an energy drink, a cup of coffee, or an espresso shot before a half marathon.
Before the start of the run, it’s a good idea to consume a moderate amount of caffeine as it can naturally enhance your performance.
If you are going to drink an energy drink, drink it 45 minutes before your run for optimum effectiveness.
One thing to keep in mind before you start your race is that most energy drinks are carbonated. Personally, my tummy doesn’t do well with a bunch of fizz bouncing around while I’m on a long run.
There are some good powder energy drinks (just add water) that contain all of the good ingredients that you need, but also are versatile enough that you can mix them with still water, instead of something fizzy.
This is great before a half marathon because you get everything that you need to improve your performance, but you won’t have a belly full of fizz before the race starts.
What should I drink during a half marathon?
Sports drinks are a good choice during a half marathon because they replace lost fluids and electrolytes.
Long runs require carbs, thus sports drinks with a trifecta of water, electrolytes, and carbs can help you achieve peak performance.
Sports drinks don’t improve your performance as energy drinks do, but the hydrating properties of sports drinks keep your performance from flagging.
Did you know that 2-3% of dehydration causes 10% of degradation?
Therefore drinking sports drinks can help you to maintain your performance at a higher level.
Sports drinks work by supplying you with electrolytes like sodium and potassium that you lose during the long run. Electrolytes enable our cells to carry electrical impulses like nerve impulses and muscle contractions.
Ultimately, choose a sports drink that has a good ratio of water to carbs and you’re good to go.
What should I drink after a half marathon?
After a half marathon, you should drink water, sports drinks, and or energy drinks, depending on how you feel.
When you finish your run the most important thing is to make sure that you are properly hydrated and that you are replacing lost fluids. If you’re certain that you’ve consumed enough fluid replacements and are lacking energy, you can also drink an energy drink to give you an energy boost.
However, if you also drank an energy drink before your half marathon, keep an eye on your total daily caffeine intake and also any warning labels on your energy drink to ensure you’re not going overboard. Drinking too many energy drinks in one day is something that you should avoid.
You can also try recovery drinks that have protein in them to help with muscle recovery.
Coconut water also contains natural electrolytes like potassium and sodium that can replace what you’ve lost. Choose one that has little or no sugar, as some commercialized coconut waters might contain a lot of sugar to make them taste sweeter.
Do I need to drink water during a half marathon?
Water is actually most suitable for runs less than 60 minutes. For longer runs, you’ll need something more potent to replenish what you’ve lost.
During a half marathon, you can go for sports drinks or energy gels to help you make it to the finish line.
However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t drink any water during a half marathon – you absolutely should. This just means that on extended runs you will need to drink more than just water.
You can even have a few sips of an energy drink – especially if you choose one that isn’t fizzy.
How can I increase my running stamina?
You can improve your running stamina through training, rest, and diet.
Even beginners realize that you can’t just sign up for a half marathon today and run it tomorrow. You won’t even get through the first mile.
If you know you’re aiming to run a marathon, half or full, plan your training schedule in advance leading up to the day of the run. Training can build your endurance and stamina until eventually, you’re ready for the big race.
Getting enough sleep and eating a balanced diet are also important parts of building stamina. You should look to include some good carbohydrates into your diet to provide extra stamina during training and the race itself.
Energy drinks are great at providing an extra boost and improving stamina. You might choose to include an energy drink that contains taurine and has a moderate amount of caffeine in your training ritual.
As mentioned above, for distance runners, I think it’s smart to avoid too much carbonation before and during a long run.
It’s also wise to train with food and drink items you’re planning to consume on the day of your half marathon. This is to ensure that you’re well-acquainted with them and that you won’t suffer from a stomach ache on the day of the run.
What drinks increase stamina for a half marathon?
Coffee, yerba mate, green tea, and energy drinks are all good choices as they have a good amount of caffeine in them.
As we have discussed above, caffeine can really help you. This means extra stamina and improved performance.
Energy Drinks for Running Stamina
Ideally, you should pick an energy drink with a good amount of caffeine, sugar, taurine and calories. It’s also notable to try out the energy drinks you’ve picked while you’re training to see if they’re compatible with your needs.
Definitely don’t drink an energy drink you’ve never tried before on the day of the marathon. That’s really inadvisable.
Continue reading, as I’ll be recommending a few of the best energy drinks for a half marathon in a moment.
Is it OK to drink high-calorie drinks for a half marathon?
Yes, it is and is also advisable to do so.
The logic is this, as you run, you burn your available carbohydrates, but when you’re out of carbohydrates to burn for energy, your system starts to shut down, causing you to lose speed.
To avoid an energy meltdown from taking place during your run, the easiest way to recharge is by consuming carbs in glucose form. Liquid carbs are actually better than solid carbs for a run as they are easily digestible.
Sports drinks can help you quickly consume liquid carbs while also rehydrating. Consuming liquid carbs also prevents you from potentially choking while swallowing solids.
That seems like a long shot, but there’s no doubt that drinking carbs is better than eating carbs in the middle of a run.
Is it OK to drink Red Bull before running?
Yes, it is OK to drink Red Bull before running a half marathon.
A regular 8.4 fl. oz can of Red Bull contains 27g of sugar, 80mg of caffeine, and 110 calories.
These numbers seem OK for marathon runners, but if you’re not going to run a long race, I suggest you rethink choosing Red Bull because of all of the sugar and calories. You could opt for a sugar-free version or one of the alternatives listed below instead.
Based on a previous study, Red Bull has been proven to increase running performance by 78% and it enabled the participants to complete their run in less time.
That’s indisputable proof that it is a good idea to drink an energy drink before a half marathon or any long run.
Fun Fact: Did you know that Red Bull was previously banned in France?
Energy Drinks for a Half Marathon
Here are some suggestions that might aid you in your 13.1-mile quest.
As I previously mentioned, try out energy drinks first during your training to find which ones are suitable for you, as everyone’s caffeine tolerance differs.
Bang Energy Drink
As the name suggests, it is a “bang” as it contains a very high amount of caffeine – 300mg. As much as caffeine is beneficial for runners, 300mg is too much for me.
Actually, Bang ranks near the top of the list of very strong energy drinks.
Bang Energy Drink has zero sugar and zero calories, which I like. But, due to the high caffeine content, I would reconsider it before a half marathon and I think some of the other options below might be more suitable.
Bang Energy Drink also markets itself as containing creatine and BCAA’s, which you might be interested in, although there is no solid evidence if the contents of either are substantial. There are also a number of lawsuits against Bang for false and misleading advertising, so make of that what you will.
To read more about whether Bang energy drink is good for you, check out my other article which covers things very comprehensively.
Xyience Energy Drink
If you still want an energy drink with zero sugar and calories, but with slightly less caffeine, you can try Xyience Energy Drink with its 176mg of caffeine.
Personally, I still think 176mg of caffeine is too much before or during a long run, but perhaps give it a try and see if it works for you.
However, my main issue with Xyience Energy Drink is the really high price point. A single can often go for north of $4.
Xyience is a good energy drink, but I just can’t justify the price on top of all of the other costs associated with running a half marathon.
XS Energy Drink
Going down the caffeine ladder here, XS Energy Drink has a nice 80mg of caffeine. Something I personally prefer.
I find consuming between 50 and 100mg of caffeine to be ideal before a long run. It’s enough to get all of the great benefits that caffeine has for runners, but it also won’t blow your shoes off your feet or cause any unwanted problems.
XS Energy Drink is sugar-free and has 10 calories, something that I don’t mind.
However, XS Energy is also a bit of a pricey option, often selling for a similar price as Xyience does.
REIZE Energy Drink (10 out of 10 for runners)
My favorite energy drink, REIZE, has a lower amount of caffeine, with 50mg per serving. It’s also sugar-free and has just 11 calories.
Something else that I love is the taurine and sodium content, which I find to be great for extended runs. Also, the combination of caffeine, ginseng, B vitamins, and taurine work together to provide the perfect energy boost, with no sugar crash.
I love the fact that I can mix the REIZE powder with any drink I want. Before a half marathon, still, water is probably the best choice to avoid a belly full of bubbles, while still getting the good energy-boosting ingredients that you want from an energy drink.
REIZE is definitely my energy drink of choice for a half marathon.
REIZE ships right to your door for only around $1 per drink (including shipping). That’s amazing value for money.
Give REIZE a try today and you might just find that it will be the perfect running partner for your next half marathon.